Quick Thoughts on Saints @ Falcons

Well, here we go. With the Saints win against Atlanta on Monday night we are now officially entering playoff crunch time. To get into the playoffs the Saints basically have to run the table. Can they do it? Who knows? It depends on which team shows up. If the Saints are clicking on offense and getting penetration and being aggressive on defense, I would say they can hang with any team in the NFC. If they are having one of those days where they are dropping passes and missing assignments, then they might as well go ahead and pack it in now.

However, if they can actually pull it together for the next 3 weeks and make the playoffs, the tables would be set for one of the biggest games in franchise history. If things shake out the right way and Tampa Bay can gain a game on Seattle, then the Saints would travel to Tampa Bay to play the Buccaneers in the first round of the playoffs. After the way last week's game against Tampa Bay went, the build up going into that game would be totally insane. Just the thought of going down there and beating Tampa Bay on their own field in the playoffs makes this entire roller coaster season worthwhile. But, alas, I am getting ahead of myself. Let's just concentrate on the Cardinals and save the pipe dreams for later...

The Wild Card picture currently looks like this...

*Giants 9-4 (7-4 in NFC)Vikings 7-6 (5-5 in NFC) Still to play Chi, Was, DenSaints 6-7 (5-4 in NFC) Still to play Ari, Phi, ChiRedskins 6-7 (4-5 in NFC) Still to play NY Giants, Minn, DalCardinals 6-7 (3-6 in NFC) Still to play NO, Atl, StLLions 6-7 (4-7 in NFC) Still to play SD, KC, GB

* indicates that regardless of your optimism level, the Saints are not catching this team.

Now onto some quick thoughts...

+ I love Sean Payton. You have to. After he was crushed by the media and fans all week about the reverse against Tampa Bay, he comes out and the Saints very first offensive play is an end around to Devery. Not the same exact play, but similar enough to where it wasn't just a coincidence. Almost his way of saying, "Oh yeah, you want to second guess me and draw cartoons about me in the paper? Here's what I think about that."

Then, in the 3rd quarter of a blow out, on a 2nd and 8, Joe Horn catches a ball for 4 yards. No big deal. But Payton knows that Horn called him out in the papers in Atlanta recently and he challenges the catch. The play had absolutely no effect on the game but Payton didn't want Joe to get a single reception. Translation: "Want to bad mouth me? Screw you, Joe. Enjoy Chris Redman." Sean Payton is awesome.

+ Speaking of Payton, I actually supported him on his decision to go for it early in the 1st quarter on 4th down. It was 4th down and less than a yard. If you can't get a yard when you need it then you aren't winning 4 games in a row and making the playoffs anyway. I understand that we were deep in our own territory and it was on the first possession of the game. Who cares? If you can't execute when it counts then your season isn't going anywhere anyway. Now, of course we didn't get it but I think it sent a message to the team that we have to win, we will be aggressive, and we will play with a sense of urgency. The result of turning it over? The defense comes out and forces a punt.

+ In wins this season, Drew Brees has 17 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. In losses he has 6 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Coincidence? I think not.

+ While Aaron Stecker's 20 carries for 100 yards was impressive, Atlanta has not been great against the run this season. Going into Monday night's game, opponents had averaged 4.3 yards per carry and have 9 rushing touchdowns against the Falcons. In comparison, the Saints opponents average 3.9 per carry and have 6 rushing touchdowns.

+ Marques Colston is an absolute beast. I really don't have much to add here. I would love to talk to anyone who played DB when Colston was at Hofstra and just see what they have to say about him. They had to know he could be an animal in the NFL. They had to. You don't just wake up one day and you're 6'4'', 230 pounds, with speed and unbelievable hands. Lock him up, Mickey. Lock him up.

+ On Atlanta's first TD drive, there were two plays in which the Saints ran coverages that left one side of the field with no safety help. The results of those two plays: 41 yards to Laurent Robinson and 33 yards to Roddy White for the TD. On both coverages, Chris Reis came down to play underneath and the Falcons went deep. On the TD pass, Jason Craft actually already had the inside receiver covered, but Chris Reis played up anyway and Redman spotted it and went deep over McKenzie.

+ Speaking of Mike, please go vote for him for the Pro Bowl. He's had an absolutely unbelievable season. Probably the best by a Saints cornerback that I can remember since Ashley Ambrose's 1999 season.

+ Olindo Mare finally gave us some touchbacks tonight. This was the first time he has had a touchback since Week 10 against the Rams. However, if you think about it, Mare hasn't had that bad of a year. He is currently 10 of 17 on field goal attempts, but 5 of those misses are from 50 yards or longer. Now I understand that part of the reason he was acquired was to kick longer field goals, but if you take away those misses from 50 yards or longer, his kicking accuracy is 83%.

+ Here's the perfect way to sum up the Saints Rookie Class of 2007. Usama Young's biggest hit of the season came when he inadvertently ran into Lance Moore on a punt return, knocking him down and allowing the ball to roll untouched to inside of the 5 yard line.

There's nothing really left to say at this point. The Saints have to just go out and win. Simple as that. As Tom Brady said in a press conference last week, "Well done is always better than well said." Let's just hope the Saints were listening.